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“Nah, not yet. We need to wait for the light”
The above is an oft-used phrase during many of crankandpiston’s photo shoots: our dedicated digital team is nothing if not thorough, after all. But during our time recently with the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé, light proved all too important.
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Now before you get the wrong idea, this is not a slant at the Frozen Bronze Metallic exterior paint, the subtly reflective nature of which won the team over almost immediately. Instead, it was ensuring that this finish shined through properly in the images. And given the complexities at play, that was going to be tricky.
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Which brings us to here and now. It’s just turned 4.45pm, and after a fraught battle with the harsh afternoon sun, crankandpiston’s dedicated lensman John is waiting for daylight to fade and the early signs of dusk to arrive: Magic Hour. Though I’m standing close-by on starter’s orders with a spare lens, this brief hiatus does give me some time to consider the new Beemer’s fundamentals.
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The 6 Series Gran Coupé is the first four-door coupe to roll off the Bavarian production line, and while fans of the re-modelled 6 Series may worry that the addition of two extra doors will negatively affect the aesthetics, this is unnecessary. The sharper, grittier front end of the newly restyled 6 Series coupe – courtesy of elongated headlights and gaping air intakes – remains intact, bringing with it a subtly aggressive demeanour. Alongside the sloping front end and sweeping roofline, the new 6 Series rear end in particular emphasizes that the boys and girls in the design team have been kept busy: squint at the taillights and angular rear bumper, and you could even believe you’re looking at an Alfa Romeo.
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Duck inside and we find the beautifully upholstered and finely crafted interior trim associated with BMW, even if the black steering wheel, Ivory White Dakota leather, Alcantara Arnaro Brown roof lining, AND Opel White trim might be going a trifle overboard. Most of the controls have been mounted on the steering wheel and into the dash behind the column, which means the sweeping centre cluster is uncomplicated and easy-to-use.
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A passing wonder whether both an i-drive control and instrument buttons is necessary is quickly swept aside when the Bang & Olufsen speaker rises elegantly out of the dashboard. And there’s that big panoramic sunroof too.
Comfort in the front is also easy to find, with head and legroom available in equal magnitude. The low ebb of the roofline and a snug amount of space in the rear footwells means it’s a slightly different story for passengers travelling in the back, but a surprisingly large boot space means sizeable jaunts are still an option.
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T-minus 10 minutes to go before Magic Hour. John’s currently busying himself debating the varying merits of the 24-70mm he’s looking through, giving me a few minutes to consider my earlier drive in the 6 Series Gran Coupé. And this being crankandpiston – let’s be honest – oomph as well as practicality is firmly on the agenda.
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No problems to report there. Plant the right foot, and it won’t be too long before the 640i twin-turbo 3.0l six-cylinder under the bonnet delivers a sizeable right-hook to your chin, the 640i delivering a whallop of acceleration that may catch one off-guard at first but which is immensely entertaining nonetheless. Even in Comfort Plus, when the suspension settings and dampers are at their softest and thus is full cruise mode, linear power delivery from the engine makes nipping from 0-100kph in 5.4s as straightforward as it is entertaining. Certainly the 320 stabled horses are well-trained, and an electronic limiter makes sure that in the Gran Coupé they don’t gallop above 250kph.
